300 copies of Real Good's debut LP, A Boy Named Good, is currently on its way across the North American continent via Federal Express to our doorstep in New Jersey. Please treat your ears to the album, which is streaming in its entirety on our Bandcamp. While you're at it, get in early dibs on a copy of the LP, which will ship out soon after their arrival. LPs come with a free digital download of the album, as well as homemade zines including lyrics and essays by John and Josh of the band. Real Good is also currently planning record release shows at the following locations and dates (detailed information to follow): Sep 28 / New Brunswick NJ Oct 11 / Brooklyn NY Oct 12 / Jersey City NJ Word in.

The entire soundtrack for How Will We Cross the Seas? is now streaming on our Bandcamp. For those of you who are unable to attend our screening events in Brooklyn, Philly, or New Brunswick, you can order a copy of the mix tape from us at our Bandcamp as well. This mix tape package includes free digital downloads of both the soundtrack and the film itself.

We are very excited to announce our involvement with filmmaker Shaun Seneviratne and the release of his film and film soundtrack for How Will We Cross the Seas?. The 16mm short film, which has already taken awards at the Zero Film Festival, will be screened at select events on May 2 through May 4, in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and New Brunswick.

In the spirit of the film's DIY aesthetic, Seneviratne has collaborated with local artists and musicians to produce a film score and soundtrack, which we will be releasing as a "mix tape" cassette at these events. Artists involved with the project will be performing at these screening events as well, which will host a variety of media, from live band performances to visual art and spoken word. We encourage you to check out the details for these events at the links to Facebook below...

Wishing you all a bounty of happiness and health in the new year! We've got at least four new releases cooking up for 2013, which should be served on a range of formats. This includes full length records from the bands Secret Photos and Real Good, as well as a soundtrack for the film How Will We Cross the Seas?, in addition to others. We are also discussing travel plans for Berlin's mOck to embark to the U.S. for a string of performances. We haven't made any new year's resolutions, but we certainly have plans! All the best to you and yours.

We've spent some days in research & development, with our lab coats and safety goggles on. And finally, we are pleased to roll out this specimen known as the label's official website! It should serve as a one-stop shop for most things related to the label and will be sure to continue improving over time. Oh, it's easy to remember the address too. We encourage you to check it out and poke around.

Secret Photos' new single, "Red Lights," is available for free download on our Bandcamp page, along with an extra B-side track. "Red Lights" will be a track on the full length record, Layers, which will be released by i love to hate records later this summer.

Who are Secret Photos? Led by the honest tenor of Shaun Weeden (formerly of seminal New Jersey hardcore band, Purpose), Secret Photos perform electronic beats mixed with live drums/percussion, driving guitars, warm bass grooves, and electronic keyboards to produce live sets that are refreshing and unpredictable. Secret Photos cast also includes Mark Weinberg (Risk Relay, Trinitron) and Ernest Intorella (Rosario Focus).

The mOck LP is now available for purchase in both physical and digital formats from our Bandcamp!

So far, the LP has been receiving some glowing reviews and coverage: "mOck is an album of uncompromising creativity and rigorous artistic integrity, but it’s also a very listenable and appealing slab of contemporary rock music." - Oliver Aditi "mOck is one of those good, old-fashioned awesomely impressive debut works. It balances math and post-rock superbly and has that sheen, fresh, new car smell. For a year that has been pretty barren as far as noteworthy music is involved, these guys have proved otherwise, which is why they have earned a nomination for album of the year." - 402 Productions "This is a most accomplished debut album and very much worth checking out." - Collective Zine Also, check out this interview with Conrad, mOck's drummer, recently featured in CMJ.

To celebrate the release of the record, we are hosting a vinyl celebration / LP listening party featuring DJ Gregorious and Borne, DJs hailing from northern New Jersey who will be spinning tracks from their personal record collections, as well as select cuts from the mOck LP. The celebration will be taking place on Thursday, May 17 @ The Lamp Post in Jersey City. The event is free and will be starting at 10 PM. The Lamp Post is located at 382 2nd St., near the Grove Street PATH station.

I'd also like to take a moment to announce that the next release from i love to hate records, which will be coming up some time this summer, is a full-length CD titled "Layers" from the band, Secret Photos. Secret Photos features ex-members of New Jersey hardcore and indie bands such as Purpose, Risk Relay, and Rosario Focus. Check out a music video for a track called "Priveleged," featured on one of their previous releases.

That's all for now - enjoy your may flowers if they're not hesitating to bloom.

Along with Coraille (who will be taking orders in Europe), we are happy to be releasing the self-titled, debut LP from Berlin's mOck. If you’re unfamiliar with mOck, they play an innovative, clever, and pleasant brand of post-hardcore, math rock, indie rock, whatever you prefer to call it. They’ve toured with bands such as Future Islands, Joan of Arc, and Algernon Cadwallader, and released a few singles on 7" records and compilations to date.

The record has been pressed on 500 slabs of black vinyl and is dressed in glossy full color jackets boasting beautiful photographic cover art, all of which have arrived from the plant and are ready to get in mailers to be sent your way. Some professional cooks have been in the kitchen on this one, including John McEntire, who is known for his studio work on records for artists such as Broken Social Scene, Bright Eyes, and The Fiery Furnaces, and for his musicianship in bands such as Tortoise and The Sea and Cake.

You can now stream the record in its entirety and/or pre-order the LP from our Bandcamp. All pre-orders include a free digital download of the LP and a free copy of mOck’s 2010 split 7” with Rapid Cities, also released on this label. Pre-orders will ship before the official release date: Tuesday, April 17. Recommended for fans of bands like Q And Not U, Braid, or Pinback.

Starting this weekend, mOck will be touring Europe with Victor Villareal (Cap’n Jazz, Owls, Joan of Arc). They also have released a split 7” together, now available to order from Joyful Noise Recordings or directly from mOck.

For those who are a bit more local on the stateside, and want to pick up a copy in person, I will be throwing a listening party with DJs at the Lamp Post in Jersey City on May 17 [tentative date]. Will post details on that soon.

Nov 25, 11

Okay folks, many apologies for making this confusing, but in the time since our tiny record label has established its presence on Facebook, Zuckerberg and the gang have rolled out some developments that we are just now adapting to. To keep up with the times, we have now created a I Love To Hate Records "Musician/Band" page which will allow us to do some more neat things with technology that we weren't able to do before. Please do yourselves (and us) a favor and click here and "Like" us! We have some sweet news about things we'll be rolling out for 2012 that we will be posting on that thing. Thanks again for all your support so far and have a great holiday weekend.

Well, now it's official. I Love To Hate Records will be releasing the debut full-length LP by our friends, mOck, from Berlin, Germany. We are planning on releasing the vinyl early in 2012 and bringing the mOck boys over to our continent for a tour as well. Head to mOck's website to become acquainted with these super talented and creative gents, or to our Bandcamp to revisit prior tracks that we have released for them!

Being well aware that not the entire planet subscribes to the social network known as "Facebook," we want to be able to make news regarding our label known to other members of the internet community who might need another means of access. That beings said, we will be sure to communicate much of the news related to I Love To Hate Records on our blog again, here, as well.

That being said, it has been about one year since we released the "Friends With Benefits" compilation CD and still have a few copies lingering around. Featuring tracks by 18 artists from NJ to NYC, from Seattle to Berlin, this CD and other items in our back catalog (such as records by Rapid Cities and mOck) are now available at super cheap prices! Head to the I Love To Hate Records Big Cartel store to order online.

In other news, it looks like there may be some other new releases in the works for early 2012. There is some great stuff our friends are making that needs to be documented for future civilizations before the Mayan Armageddon claims us!

For anyone who might happen to stumble upon this page, we will now be making Love/Hate Records releases available for order online through our BigCartel store instead. The first item we are happy to bring your way is the Rapid Cities / mOck split 7", now up for pre-order! All advance orders receive a free copy of the Rapid Cities / mOck "Making Friends Overseas" tour poster and shipping on us.

We may be posting other bits of news and info here from time to time, but you might also want to check out the following destinations to keep up with what we're doing...

Release Date: May 30, 2009Track list: Manhattan's Hymn, In My Mind, Dreams of Fahey, There Is a Black Hole, J.aunt O.n D.ying Y.oung, The NRA & NWA, Asexual Predator, Space Is Infinite, Down at the Fleshpot, Most of the Time, My Arms Are the Anchors My Legs Are the Sea

"Machinery Saints is an undeniably dense listen... I can’t help but advise fans of post-punk, and those with an open mind, to welcome Rapid Cities as a refreshing challenge to the status quo." - ThePunkSite

"Machinery Saints flows with the wild abandon of creativity that can't be restrained. They travel the roads of post-hardcore without regard for safety, attacking the sharp angles and starts and stops and stutters with more rage than plan. Oddly enough though, they remained focused, probably by sheer inertia, and their creativity delivers even as it evolves. While there is more than a hint of math rock throughout the album, the band does their math in their heart, not just their head. Feeling their way rather than planning it doesn't dispel their confidence, but rather bolsters it by simple force of will. Amazing." - Rock and Roll and Meandering Nonsense

"RAPID CITIES are part of the pensive class... the super-serious thinkers, and emotional outputters. The ones weaned on a FUGAZI discography, a liberal arts degree, and a van that’s been through hell and back... and they’ve got the hefty, droning bass lines, arching guitars, scatter-shot drumming and thoughtful lyrics to prove it." - Pastepunk

"Rapid Cities deconstruct the conventions of arrangements and reassemble them into a clean, angular post-core blueprint... they're full of piss and vinegar and they're hoping to be heard." - Exclaim! Magazine

"Whatever turns you on, you can’t deny Rapid Cities’ talent and the quality of this debut album. Open your ears and your mind..." - Altsounds

"This sounds to me like it wouldn't be out of place on modern day Dischord Records... it's ruddy good stuff, I'm thoroughly enjoying it." - Suspect Device Zine

"With all the flailing guitar riffs and distressed singing style... still, this stuff stands out on its own... Machinery Saints is a refreshing debut since so few bands are doing this..." - Punknews.Org (click to read full review)

"It’s dissonant, anguished, and melodic all at the same time... I really didn’t think bands like this existed anymore beyond the fantasies of art-school weirdos who THINK they sound like this and instead just give me migraines... Machinery Saints... It’s terrifyingly damn close to a perfect post-hardcore/punk album, with an edge that’ll cut you like a prison shiv in the kidneys while you’re in the dinner line over that one cigarette you traded for a blo…nevermind, just get your hands on it. It’s just really, really, really, good." - Fistfight at the Arthouse (click to read full review)

"These New Brunswick kids debut LP is a fantastic collection of post-hardcore rockers, drawing inspiration from the early 90's DC scene and adding some nice mathy dynamics to their strong melodies. Articulate and intelligent, Rapid Cities inject powerful musicanship over dissonant guitar work and driving rhythms... Ultimately, Rapid Cities are paving a path all their own and this is an excellent starting point." - Tom Haugen's Action Sports Blog on GO211 (click to read full review)

Proceeds go to benefit Home Alive, a Seattle based anti-violence, non-profit organization.

REVIEWS:

"...In Ribbons pairs rich, chorused acoustic sounds with a shrill and wavering voice... John Cole, the man behind In Ribbons, manages to squeeze little spots of brilliance out of cliches." - The Aquarian (click to read full review)

"Side A features the track ‘Mr. A and Mrs. B’, which starts off with a buzzing acoustic strum... [and] packs the same quirkiness that makes wavering singers like Conor Oberst so popular... extremely catchy... we found ourselves humming it in the days after first listening to the record." - Reviewsic (click to read full review and interview with In Ribbons)

about

about

I Love To Hate Records is a record label spearheaded by two people named John. The label exists as a way of lending support to friends' artistic and musical projects, and providing a bit of continuity within the diverse and diffuse community that we have been participating in for much of our lives.

Once upon a time, in the late 1990s, Shaun Weeden was a youth crew hardcore kid who found himself playing guitar in the locally revered New Jersey band, PURPOSE. Since then, he has flirted with a variety of other forms of musical expression, the most recent permutation being a bedroom pop act dubbed as SECRET PHOTOS. Starting in 2007, armed with a guitar and an electronic drum machine, Weeden’s performances took place in dark New Brunswick basements. But after this initial incubation phase, Weeden expanded the acoustic potential of his act by bringing on post-hardcore and indie rock veterans Mark Weinberg (RISK RELAY) and Ernest Intorella to transform SECRET PHOTOS into a full rock band.
As a trio, the group went on to self-release a handful of EPs, including the noteworthy 2011 “Forever Children.” In 2014, however, they are proud to present the 11 track full-length “Layers,” which showcases the wide array of sounds that comprise the SECRET PHOTOS vernacular. Electronic pop tracks, like the synth-driven “Phone Number,” or the ultra percussive “Red Lights” offer feel good party vibes reminiscent of MUSCLES. Other tracks like “Best Friend” or “BGS” demonstrate intertwining guitar and bass melodies one might find on a PINBACK record. Deeper cuts on the record, such as “Catch the Breeze” and “How She Said It” may even remind the listener of a sweetly matured version of the late ‘90s post-hardcore sound that can be associated with AT THE DRIVE-IN, given Weeden’s lofty vocal delivery over musicianship thoughtfully calculated in odd time signatures.
I LOVE TO HATE RECORDS is offering “Layers” this spring in digital and CD form. Be sure to catch SECRET PHOTOS at one of their live performances in the NYC area as they promote this release.

“Do you think this is cool?” is the genuine, yet concurrently tongue-in-cheek, phrase first sang by Josh Hoey (LOCK AND KEY, SERIOUS GENIUSES) on REAL GOOD’s debut LP, “A Boy Named Good,” although he doesn’t need your validation to continue doing what he loves. The same could easibly be said for the rest of this trio of New Jersey DIY veterans, which also includes John Terry (RAPID CITIES) and Eric Truchan (BRICK MOWER), who are responsible for this very record. Brought together in New Brunswick basements over absurdist wordplay, and small talk about their favorite indie rock records, this collection of material should, unsurprisingly, be a reflection of their mutual tastes.
All puns and ‘90s rock references aside, this collection of material contains 13 tracks, some of which had been previously tracked for a demo tape by Mark Bronzino (KICKING SPIT, BIG EYES), while others are exclusive to this piece of wax. Cut to reel-to-reel in a brick Victorian-era mill building in Haverhill MA, the LP boasts warm tones evocative of the era which the group celebrates, but takes ownership of in their special, GOOD way. Oscillating between upbeat, full chord anthems, to more introspective and riff-laden endeavors, these selections represent a diverse sample of those previously mentioned discussions.
Pressed on 300 slabs of black vinyl, and dressed in glossy full color jackets designed by photographer Jacob Pastrovich, the LP is generously brought to you by I LOVE TO HATE RECORDS. REAL GOOD can be seen performing around the northeastern United States this fall to promote the record. Recommended for fans of ARCHERS OF LOAF, SEBADOH, SUPERCHUNK.

How Will We Cross the Seas? is a 16mm short film about communication and empathy; the pursuit of happiness; and the fear of dying alone. The film features a young couple - a folk musician and a teacher - whose romantic insecurities and economic anxieties come to a head amid political unrest in the hours before the “end of the world.” In a world that seems hell bent on destroying itself, can this couple escape the same fate?
In the spirit of the film’s DIY aesthetic, film director Shaun Seneviratne has collaborated with local artists and musicians on the score and soundtrack, which is now brought to you in the form of a cassette "mixtape." This mixtape for "How Will We Cross the Seas?" features a score from The Brothers McGrath (Cassidy and Ed) and musical contributions from Real Good, Communipaw, and Dark Moses. The music on this tape encapsulates the paranoia, frustrations and doubt experienced in the film.
Dubbed on 150 limited cassette “mix tapes,” the film soundtrack will be available this May, and are available for order from this very Bandcamp page. Mix tapes also include digital downloads of both the soundtrack and the film itself.
The film has already been previewed at the Zero Film Festival in Brooklyn in late 2012, and received the Audience Choice Award, as well as other accolades. This collaborative project by the filmmaker and record label aims to serve as a celebration of mixed media and an extension of understandings of DIY punk beyond typical record packaging or event curating.

Patterns, shapes, and image-eliciting abstractions are both the style and substance of Berlin’s MOCK, who are pleased to offer you their debut LP. Boasting a pedigree with roots in Berlin’s late ‘90s hardcore scene, this trio has tempered their sensibilities with a smooth, calculated resolve that challenges the listener’s preconceptions of indie rock, while simultaneously providing a pleasant palate of audio.
Having performed a number of tour dates with bands such as FUTURE ISLANDS, JOAN OF ARC, and ALGERNON CADWALLADER, and having previously released singles on 7 inch records and compilations, MOCK’s first LP is a milestone work boasting over 45 minutes of well-crafted songs and sounds. Recorded in Hamburg by Robert Hauspurg, mixed by John McEntire (TORTOISE, THE SEA AND CAKE) at Soma in Chicago, and mastered by Carl Saff in Chicago, the project is international in character, and high fidelity in conception.
Pressed on 500 slabs of black vinyl, and dressed in glossy full color jackets, the LP is brought to you in the U.S by i love to hate records, and in Europe by Coraille. MOCK will be embarking March 31st on tour in Europe with VICTOR VILLAREAL (of CAP’N JAZZ, JOAN OF ARC), to promote this LP, as well as a split 7” with Victor on Joyful Noise Recordings. Recommended for fans of Q And Not U, Braid, and Karate.

TRINITRON was created in 2005 as the ongoing solo project of Mark Weinberg (Risk Relay, Secret Photos). Working with a contemporary, yet abstract palate, TRINITRON weaves tangible melodies and subtle textures through the use of processed electric guitar, vocals, and pre-recorded elements. Recorded live in a New Brunswick basement by Brian Buccellato AKA Chumbuckets (SCREAMING FEMALES, FANSHEN), A QUIET ECHO is a seamless one-track performance that captures the TRINITRON sound in a tangible form, now available through LOVE/HATE RECORDS.

Featuring 18 independent, mostly “unsigned” artists from New Jersey and New York City (with a couple exceptions), “FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS” is the first extremely comprehensive project that young, upstart label LOVE/HATE RECORDS has tackled. The compilation attempts to capture, in a tangible, single document, the diverse range of talent that those working under the label moniker see around them, in their neighborhoods, and among their friends.
The mix on this record draws from under a wide-spanning umbrella, and plays with the boundaries of genre in a way that do not conflict, but rather assemble a holistic piece of work that sums up LOVE/HATE RECORDS’ perspective on their own grassroots network. From swaggering anti-folk acts such as SOFT BLACK and the perfectly sweet indie-pop vibes of COMMUNIPAW, to straight up rockers like KICKING SPIT and the calculated angular throwback emo sounds of RAPID CITIES, one would be pressed to walk away from this record and not be a new fan of one of these hard-working, yet relatively obscure groups.
Mastered by Bill Henderson at Azimuth Mastering, the final product is a cohesive time stamp documenting a time and a place in the lives of those who run LOVE/HATE RECORDS and, more importantly, a time and a place in the scene of which they are just a small part.

Offering the first taste of new material since their critically praised 2009 full length debut "Machinery Saints," RAPID CITIES pump out with dextrous precision a slice of what's to come on their side of this split seven inch. Hailing from the "Hub City" of New Brunswick NJ, these four guys have been on a handful of tours around the eastern half of the U.S., and have something to show for it. Recorded by Brian Buccelatto at Chumbuckets in New Brunswick on old creaky tape reels, the authentic grit of the recording pairs nicely with a band who pride themselves in their punk and post-hardcore ethics and roots, but aren't afraid of a little bit of finesse.
Somewhere between the driving, crooked rhythms and floating, melodic structures conjured by this trio, lies the sound of Berlin Germany's MOCK. Formed from German hardcore alumni LIN. and popular electronic act AMPL:TUDE, this fairly fresh incarnation offers their own brand of '90s-esque, Midwest-inspired, angular post rock to complement this release. Recorded in the winter months of 2009 at Heart of Sound Studio in Berlin, "Count and Release" is a crisp, refreshing, intelligently composed piece that sums up MOCK's artistic sensibilities.
Pressed on 500 pieces of transparent blue vinyl, this release is a dual offering by NJ & NYC-based LOVE/HATE RECORDS and Berlin's ASYMMETRIE, highly recommended for fans of Fugazi, Braid, Drive Like Jehu, Q And Not U. Both bands have just completed tours together in the U.S. and Europe in summer 2010 to promote this release.

"Machinery Saints flows with the wild abandon of creativity that can't be restrained. They travel the roads of post-hardcore without regard for safety, attacking the sharp angles and starts and stops and stutters with more rage than plan. Oddly enough though, they remained focused, probably by sheer inertia, and their creativity delivers even as it evolves. While there is more than a hint of math rock throughout the album, the band does their math in their heart, not just their head. Feeling their way rather than planning it doesn't dispel their confidence, but rather bolsters it by simple force of will. Amazing." - Rock and Roll and Meandering Nonsense

Singer/songwriter Brooklyn transplant, John Cole has been writing music since 2004 and playing around the NYC metropolitan area. After forming his own record label, Love/Hate Records, John put out In Ribbons' first 7" single, Mr A & Mrs. B, in October of 2008.